Laser beam admitting device
First Claim
1. A laser beam admitting device comprising:
- optical fiber means having a core and a clad layer surrounding said core;
a condensing optical system through which a laser beam is admitted into a beam admitting end of said optical fiber means; and
a support structure for supporting said optical fiber means at a supporting location remote from said beam admitting end thereof, said support structure having a tubular portion formed so as to extend from said supporting location toward said beam admitting end of said optical fiber means, said tubular portion having its inner diameter greater than an outer diameter of said clad layer of said optical fiber means, said support structure including a beam leakage material disposed between said tubular portion and said clad layer of said optical fiber means to permit the laser beam admitted into said clad layer to leak through said beam leakage material to cause the leaking laser beam to impinge against an inner peripheral surface of said tubular portion, which has an area greater than that of an outer peripheral surface of said optical fiber means.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A laser beam admitting device comprises a support structure for supporting an optical fiber having a core and a clad layer surrounding the core. Laser beam is admitted into a beam admitting end of the optical fiber through a condensing optical system. The support structure supports the optical fiber at a supporting location remote from the beam admitting end thereof. The support structure includes a tubular portion extending from the supporting location toward the beam admitting end of the optical fiber. The tubular portion has its inner diameter greater than an outer diameter of the clad layer of the optical fiber. A beam leakage material is disposed between the tubular portion and the clad layer, to allow the laser beam admitted into the clad layer to be diffused to the tubular portion.
63 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A laser beam admitting device comprising:
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optical fiber means having a core and a clad layer surrounding said core; a condensing optical system through which a laser beam is admitted into a beam admitting end of said optical fiber means; and a support structure for supporting said optical fiber means at a supporting location remote from said beam admitting end thereof, said support structure having a tubular portion formed so as to extend from said supporting location toward said beam admitting end of said optical fiber means, said tubular portion having its inner diameter greater than an outer diameter of said clad layer of said optical fiber means, said support structure including a beam leakage material disposed between said tubular portion and said clad layer of said optical fiber means to permit the laser beam admitted into said clad layer to leak through said beam leakage material to cause the leaking laser beam to impinge against an inner peripheral surface of said tubular portion, which has an area greater than that of an outer peripheral surface of said optical fiber means. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A laser beam admitting device comprising:
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optical fiber means having a core and a clad layer surrounding said core; a condensing optical system through which a laser beam is admitted into a beam admitting end of said optical fiber means; and a support structure having formed therethrough a support bore, said optical fiber means being supported directly by said support bore and having an end portion, adjacent said beam admitting end, which projects from an end of said support bore toward said condensing optical system, said support structure having a tubular portion surrounding the projecting end portion of said optical fiber means, said tubular portion having an inner peripheral surface cooperating with an outer peripheral surface of the projecting end portion of said optical fiber means to define therebetween a space filled with a beam leakage material to permit the laser beam admitted into said clad layer to leak through said beam leakage material to cause the leaking laser beam to impinge against the inner peripheral surface of said tubular portion, which has a surface area greater than that of the outer peripheral surface of the projecting end portion of said optical fiber means. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification